Prison for Child Porn

Teen in bondage gear was videotaped at man's home.

In August, Chantilly's George Paul Bishop was sent to prison for videotaping a 17-year-old boy wearing only bondage gear. Last week in Fairfax County Circuit Court, an Annandale man who appeared in that video — and at whose home it was filmed — received 2 1/2 years behind bars for his part in the crime.

ON JAN. 28, police arrested both men — Bishop, 46, of 4156 Pleasant Meadow Court, and Annandale's Richard Wendall Evans, 66, of 4327 Ravensworth Road, No. 323. Bishop was charged with both manufacturing and possessing child pornography, and Evans was charged with one count of manufacturing child pornography.

Police Det. Peter Charles, of the Child Services Section, explained the allegations in Jan. 7 and Jan. 19 affidavits for warrants to seek evidence in their homes. In the first document, Charles stated that illicit deeds had occurred at Bishop's Rockland Village home between July and October 2004.

He said he'd obtained his information, Dec. 20, from a now 17-year-old boy who Charles called "Victim One." Calling Bishop "Paul," the teen said Paul had "videotaped and photographed juveniles in his residence." And on Jan. 7, police confiscated videotapes from Bishop's home.

"On these videotapes are images of naked individuals — one of which appeared to be underage," wrote the detective in the Jan. 19 affidavit. "The acts depicted on these videotapes by this juvenile include posing naked and being fondled and dressed in bondage apparel by two adult males." Charles wrote that both Bishop and Evans were on the tape.

He stated that police said the teen depicted on the tape was 16 when he was filmed. During an interview with himself and other detectives, wrote Charles, "[This] victim admitted to being naked in the pictures and in the video [and] being dressed in bondage apparel."

The affidavit noted an older white male about 60 years old, bald with a long white beard, was on the video. "Victim One identified [him] as 'Rick from Annandale,'" wrote Charles. "Furthermore, [he] stated that the scene was videotaped at 'Rick's apartment.' Victim One stated that the video camera and bondage apparel were at Rick's when he arrived there with Bishop. [He] estimated the date of this recording [as] fall 2004."

CHARLES STATED that Evans' driver's license photo "matches the other male in the seized videotape," adding it was "evident that both Bishop and Evans were complicit in manufacturing an illicit video depicting a juvenile in a sexual manner."

Bishop pleaded guilty in June and, on Aug. 19, Circuit Court Judge Leslie Alden sentenced him to three years in prison and 12 years probation for two counts of manufacturing child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.

On July 6, Evans pleaded guilty to one count of manufacturing child pornography and was to be sentenced Sept. 23 in Circuit Court. At that time, defense attorney Corinne Magee said her client knew he was wrong for not checking whether the victim was of legal age.

Saying Evans played a "relatively minor role," compared to Bishop, she told Judge Arthur Vieregg Jr., "This is not the kind of case that cries out for a long period of incarceration."

But Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Katherine Stott said Bishop and Evans had preyed on young boys previously and Evans needed to "stand up and take responsibility for his part in [this crime]." Stott also noted his "prior history of this type of offense."

Evans taught 22 years at Hayfield High and coached spring track and cross country. He was convicted of a 1983 offense of attempted sexual battery against a 16-year-old and was sentenced in 1984 to five years in prison, with all but five days suspended. He also pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography in 1984 and resigned from the school system, that same year.

"The law protects minors because they are vulnerable," said Stott. "The court should inflict a great deal of punishment on adults who prey on minors, especially for sexual crimes."

EVANS' SENTENCING was continued until last Friday, Oct. 14, and Magee told Vieregg that Evans' only contact with the current victim was on the date the video was made. Then Evans said he should have verified the boy's real age, instead of taking Bishop's word that he was of legal age.

"Because of that, a lot of people besides me have suffered," said Evans. "I apologize to the young man [and] to his parents. I wish I could take it back, but I can't."

Still, replied Vieregg, "You had a past history pertaining to young men. I can't know what you knew and what you suspected. Considering your past history, I conclude you should be incarcerated." He then sentenced Evans to five years in prison, suspending all but 2 1/2 years. He also placed him on 10 years probation and ordered him to register as a sex offender.